


Disasters Ahoy!

by xhookswenchx (ReluctantPrincess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Camping, Disaster, F/M, keepingupwiththejoneses, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 23:23:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14389269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantPrincess/pseuds/xhookswenchx
Summary: From the lovely prompt from @sambethe on tumblr (pic below)Killian and Emma take Leia and Hope on their first camping trip. What's supposed to be a fun family outing turns into one disaster after another.(One shot turned into a two shot.)





	Disasters Ahoy!

For the first time in weeks, the weather was agreeable. Emma had assured him the weatherman had promised sunny skies and decent temperatures. It was the perfect time to take Leia and Hope on a little adventure.

Unfortunately, the Jolly was undergoing some much needed refurbishment, leaving them at a loss for something to do.

David suggested camping. It wasn’t Kilian’s first choice. The only camping he’d done had danger around every corner. Emma was the one who was able to convince him. She brought up the idea of camping at a park that was safe, family friendly, and offered plenty of adventures for the girls to enjoy.

He was still skeptical, but that all changed when they arrived. The grounds were beautiful, looking closer to one of the little fairy gardens Emma and the girls had made rather than a mundane forest in the land without magic. It wasn't the Jolly, but it was perfect.

“This is our stop,” Emma proclaimed when they reached their spot. She parked the bug and immediately started unloading.

Leia and Hope were fairly cranky at this point. What was only supposed to be a two hour drive had extended to nearly three thanks to traffic and Leia’s need to try every gas station bathroom she spotted along the way.

The little site had everything. A picnic table, fire pit, and thankfully, a restroom nearby. He was almost certain that last part was the selling point for Emma. Neither of them would want to hike every time Leia insisted on potty time.

Emma pulled out Hope’s playpen and giggled when the one-year-old whined about being in captivity.

“You need to stay close where we can see you,” Killian instructed Leia. “As soon as we’re done with the tent, we’ll play.”

Leia was more than content to sit on a stump next to the playpen and chat at her sister.

Setting up the tent was supposed to be easy. The advertisement and even the salesperson raved about its simplicity.

Between him and Emma however, it was nothing more than a giant mess. Nothing they tried seemed to do anything other than fuel their irritation. After an hour of struggles, the tent was in a heap on the ground. Leia found their plight amusing, but Killian and Emma were anything but. After a brief argument, Killian took the now restless girls for a walk while Emma continued to fiddle with the tent.

It was better that way, he decided. He figured she just wanted them out of the way so she could use her magic on the thing. Technically, that was breaking her own set of rules, but so long as they had a usable tent, did it truly matter?

He gave her half an hour. Upon his return, he found the tent was still in a heap and Emma was in tears. “It doesn’t work here,” she mumbled.

KIllian could only assume that she meant her magic. It wasn’t a surprise; magic always _was_ iffy outside of Storybrooke, but it was nothing to cry over.

“Don’t worry, luv,” he soothed. “I’ve got it. Why don’t you teach the girls how to roast marshmallows?”

She cheered up at the mention of sugary treats. Within minutes, the campsite was filled with giggles. Though it took him far too long to finally figure out the damned tent, he eventually managed. Mood lifted and tent ready to go, he counted it as a win.

“Daddy!” Leia called. “Come make s’mores with us!”

They’d spoil their dinner, but with the way things were going, Killian -and obviously Emma- didn’t really care. Everyone was happy, and even though he didn’t much care for marshmallows or s’mores, eating a couple with his girls wouldn’t kill him.

“Fire!” Hope exclaimed. She was sitting in Emma’s lap and having more fun watching her marshmallows melt off into the fire than actually eating them. Whenever Emma tried to get her to pull her food out of the fire, she whined in protest.

“I don’t think she gets it,” Leia laughed. She took her marshmallow off the stick so she could pop it in her mouth. “They taste better when they’re not burnt!”

“Or melted into oblivion,” Killian agreed as he pulled Leia into his lap. “Now, why don’t you show me how to do this?”

Leia happily gave her father detailed instructions and Killian tried not to let on that he already knew what he was doing. By the time she was satisfied with his skills, the bag of marshmallows was gone.

“I brought another one for later,” Emma whispered as they cleaned up the mess and put the fire out. “Somehow, I knew we’d go through the marshmallows quickly.”

Somehow, _he_ knew Emma had probably eaten the most. The mischievous little smirk on her face told him he was right.

“How about we get our things and put them in the tent?” Killian suggested.

“Then can we take Mama to the place?” Leia pleaded. Hope babbled her agreement and began jumping up and down in excitement.

“Where are you taking me?” Emma asked.

“It’s a surprise, luv,” Killian chuckled.

“Magic!” Hope shouted.

Emma raised an eyebrow, but Killian refused to let her know what they were up to. On their walk, the girls had spotted a little stream and were immediately enthralled by the site. Both of them insisted the place was magical. Looking at it, one might actually believe them. There was a calmness there that seemed to make time itself stand still. With the rough morning they’d had, getting away from it all for even just a few moments was something they all needed. Emma especially.

It wasn’t like her to cry over something as silly as a malfunctioning tent.

With a smile and a roll of her eyes, Emma grabbed the backpack and cooler out of the car. “How about I pack us some water and snacks?”

Hope helped Emma with the snacks and Leia helped Killian haul their blankets and pillows over to the tent. Once everything had been loaded into the tent, and Emma had finished stuffing the backpack, they were off.

The girls excitedly started down the trail with Emma and Killian close behind them. Occasionally, they ventured a bit too far ahead and whined when they were told to stop and wait a few moments.

Emma tried to pry information out of Killian, but he still refused to budge. Instead, he took her hand and laced their fingers together. “Patience, darling,” he chuckled when she grumbled about how difficult they were all being.

The little stream wasn’t very far, and the little ones squealed with delight when they arrived. “Look mama!” Hope exclaimed as she toddled over to the running water.

“Remember the rules, little love,” Killian reminded her. “Stay out of the water.”

It wasn’t so much that the stream was a hazard, but a toddler covered in grime would be a problem. Especially when said toddler would most likely cry the entire way back to camp.

There was no protest this time. Hope simply nodded and made her way to a fallen log and plopped herself down on it. Leia joined her and patted the space next to her. “You too,” she informed Emma.

When she sat down, Killian sat next to her. He wrapped his arm around her when she laid her head on his shoulder. “I know today has been a bit rough,” he said. “Perhaps this is a sign that things are going to get better?”

“Let’s hope so,” Emma laughed softly.

“Fish!” Hope shouted. Before Killian could inform her there were absolutely no fish in the little stream, she grabbed a little stick and acted as though she was fishing. “PEEEEEETEND,” she instructed.

Leia hopped down and gathered sticks for everyone. Soon, the difficulties of the day seemed to melt as they played. Hope and Leia each insisted they caught the biggest fish. “Do you suppose your mother would mind fish for dinner?” Killian asked them.

“Boil your own mackerel,” Emma teased. “And I’m not cleaning anything either!”

“We can give mama crackers,” Leia decided. “Just in case.”

“Just in case what, sweetheart?” Killian asked. He could feel Emma tensing up next to him, but wasn’t quite sure what the issue was.

“In case she gets sick again,” Leia said matter of factly.

“It was nothing,” Emma said quickly. “I didn’t want to worry you. I probably just ate something that didn’t agree with me. I’m fine now.”

He could tell that she didn't want to discuss it further, so he let it drop. He figured if there was truly something to worry about, she would have told him. She seemed fine, just as she insisted, so there was no use in trying to get more out of her.

Her mood seemed to lighten as they explored the little clearing. “I guess this is pretty magical,” Emma commented.

“Boat!” Hope stated, putting a leaf on the stream.

“Hopie, you’re not supposed to play in the water,” Leia warned.

“She’s all right,” Emma said. “Just as long as she’s not-”

Leia tripped and fell face first into the water.

Killian grabbed her and gave her a quick once-over. She didn’t look hurt, just dirty. The lack of injuries didn’t seem to mean anything though. As soon as she caught up and realized what happened, she started sobbing uncontrollably. She was inconsolable even though both he and Emma assured her that everything was all right.

Emma picked up Hope and promised both the girls more treats when they returned to camp. It didn’t stop Leia from crying, but it did help a little bit. Killian could hear quiet little sniffles in his ear as she began to calm down. By the time they returned to camp, both girls had started to nod off.

“Looks like we lost track of time,” Killian observed. It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun was beginning to set and the temperature dropped slightly. He didn’t mention the bit of angry clouds to Emma. She insisted the weatherman promised good weather and wouldn’t believe anything else.

“Oh my god!” Emma shouted. Both girls woke at the sound and Killian looked over to where she was staring.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered. She’d forgotten to put the cooler away and now it was run over with critters.

“Dammit,” Emma whined.

“It’s all right, sweetheart,” Killian tried. “We’ve got more in the car. Why don’t you take the girls to clean up and I’ll chase off the pests?”

She nodded and after he helped her take the girls to the bathroom, he went back to the picnic table. Clearing the place was easier than he thought it would be. The promise of free food wasn’t worth dealing with the angry man waving his hook at them.

Once he was sure the vermin were gone and the cooler was packed away, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to get dinner started.

The fire was just starting to get going when Emma returned with the girls. Both were in a fresh set of pajamas and already complaining that they were starving. Hope whined when she realized she wasn’t going to be eating the beef stew everyone else was having.

The resulting tantrum left Emma, Killian, and Leia with burnt stew.

“Oh,” Emma huffed. “But _my_ magic apparently doesn’t work.”

“I’ve got marshmallows,” Killian said, hoping to bring the mood back up. “They were still in the car and therefore, safe.”

While the sun continued to set, they roasted marshmallows and let the girls run off some more of their energy. The weather turned even colder as the stars began to come out.

“We should go inside so no one catches cold,” Killian suggested. The girls whined, but eventually, were coaxed in when Emma told them they didn’t have to go to sleep just yet. Once inside, they all bundled up. Killian grabbed the flashlight and turned it towards the dark fabric of the tent.

“What are you doing, daddy?” Leia asked.

“Just watch, little love,” he said as he turned on the light.

Emma caught on immediately and began making shadow puppets. The girls started giggling at her silly little bunnies. Eventually, they joined her, making bunnies of their own. Just as everything seemed to be back on track -again- a flash of light, followed by a booming thunder interrupted the fun.

“No, no, no!” Emma groaned. “The weatherman promised!”

“It’ll be all right,” Killian tried to assure her. So long as it didn’t start raining, they’d be o-

“Buddy hall!” Hope exclaimed. Emma shot Killian a look that said he was in trouble the moment they had a chance to talk about Hope’s vocabulary. Fortunately, now wasn’t the time.

“The water’s coming in!” Leia shouted.

Killian looked up and sighed. “I must have torn it a bit. Come on, let’s get out of here before we get flooded out.”

There wasn’t a lot of water yet. Just sprinkles coming in as the rain started. They each grabbed one of the girls, making sure they were wrapped up snuggly, then made their way out and towards the car.

Leia and Hope found the adventure amusing, but it was obvious that Emma was upset. He could see her trying to hide it from everyone else, but the annoyance was written all over her face. “I’ll go get the rest of the blankets,” he said, hoping it would calm her a bit. “Why don’t you three try and get comfortable? We can sleep in here tonight, then find a hotel in the morning.”

Emma nodded and started moving the car seats around so they could adjust the front seats better. By the time he returned with the blankets -which thankfully weren’t soaked- she had both seats reclined as far as possible. She and Hope were lying on one and Leia was waiting for him on the other.

“How about we get some rest now?” he asked. The dryer blankets were divvied up and Leia cuddled up to him as soon as he got comfortable.

“I’m sorry this was such a disaster,” Emma murmured.

“Nonsense,” he smiled. “We’ve had some fun, and tomorrow, we’ll have even more. The girls are happy. That should count for something.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “That counts for something.”


End file.
